Filing device



July 9, 1940. J. R JONES ET AL FILING DEVICE Filed June 15, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet l J. R. JONES ET AL 2,207,014

July 9, 1940.

FILING DEVICE Filed June 15, 1939 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 9, 1940 PATENT OFFICE FILING DEVICE James R. Jones, Lakewood, and C'arl L. Elofson,

Jamestown, N. Y.,

assignors to Art Metal Construction Company, Jamestown, N. Y.

Application June 15,

*1 I I Q 5 Claims.

This invention relates to filing devices for plans, photographs, tracings or analogous relatively large sheets, and a particular object of the invention is to provide a practical and desir- 8 able device in which a vertical filing case or container in which the sheets are maintained flat and prevented from crumpling or wrinkling, is combined with a table so as to enable the filed sheets to be readily pulled out onto or spread out on the table top, to facilitate their examination. Such a device, among other uses, is especially desirable for the filing of aerial agricultural photographs used for government crop allotment purposes, and the table with which the file case combined provides an ample flat surface on which the photographs withdrawn from the file can be laid or spread out, and is thus a great convenience for the crop allotment clerk and the and have to examine the photographs.

Other objects of the-invention are to provide a table having a file container arranged or suspended beneath the table top and accessiblefor the filing of the sheets in and theirremoval from the container through an opening ln the table top provided with a cover which, when closed, is flush with other portions of the upper surface of the table top, whereby the full area of the top is available, when desired, as a surface on which to work, lay or spread out the photographs or sheets; also to provide a combined table and file case in which the sheets are filed vertically in removable pockets or folders which are adapted to be inserted into and removed fromi pocket supports or holders in the case, which retain the filed sheets hat in desired segregated groups and prevent them from crumpling or becoming creased or wrinkled.

Additional objects and advantages of the intion of the preferred embodiment of the invention, shown in the accompanying drawings, and .the novel features thereof are set forth inthe appended claims.

In said drawings: r s

Fig. 1 is a perspective View on a small scale, of a combined table and filing device embodying the invention, showing the cover 'ofthe case opened and one of the sheet pockets raised and a sheet partially withdrawn from the same and resting and exposed on the table top.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal, sectional elevation of the device takenon a vertical planepas'sing through the filing case. a I

farmer or person who may have to consult him vention will appear fromthe following descrip-.

1939, Serial No. 279,296

Fig. 3 is an enlarged-broken-transverse sectional elevation thereof on line 3-3, Fig.2.

Fig. 4' is a fragmentary section similarto Fig. 2, on an enlarged scale. I

Fig 5 is arra'gmentar'y, sectional elevation, showing the support for'holding the cover open. 7 The'i'llustra'ted embodiment of the invention comprises a; table It having a relatively long, narrow anddeep rectangular filing case ll arranged or suspended under the table top, which latter has an opening 12 therethrough conforming substantially in horizontal dimensions with the case, and a cover or lid 13 for the opening which, when closed will occupy a position in the opening with the upper surface of the cover .1 flush with the upper surface of the table top, and which" is preferably hinged to swing upwardly to open and afford access to the'filecase. A

The table may be of usual or suitable form and construction, a fiat-topped table of sheet metal construction being shown'havi'ng a sheet metal top plate M'with a linoleum'or other sheet covering l5 and depending marginal flanges l6, and supporting legs I! at the corners of the table. The table also preferably has the usual skirt comprising sideand endwalls depending from the table top and set-back or'inwardly from r the marginal top flanges. This, skirt may be formed, as shown, by vertical sheet metal plates l8 extending from leg to leg at the front'and rear sides of the table, and similar vertical plates!!! extending from leg to leg at the ends of 'the table. As shown, these plates are provided with top flanges spot welded or otherwise suitably secured to the underside of the top plate M, and

inturned bottom stiffening flanges, and the skirt plates are rigidly secured at their ends toth'e table legs, as by corner brackets welded to the legs.

Preferably, the long front and rear'e'dges df the opening i2 in the table top are supported and braced by two parallel, vertical, sheet metal plates 2!) which extend lengthwise of the table beneath the top plate l4 and are rigidly attached at their ends to the end skirt plates l9,- as by .45 end flanges 2| on the supporting mama-"spot welded to the skirt plates. The supporting plates 20 shown haveoutwardly bent top flanges 22 rigidlyattached, as by spot welding, to the underside of the table top plate, and below the 5,0

latter, the plates 2'8 are offset toward each other providing; upwardly facing supporting shoulders 23. The" supporting plates are also preferably provided with out-turned bottom strengthening flanges 24. Thus, a stifi and rigid trussed frame structure is provided from which the file can be suspended and supported, as will presently appear.

The file case may be of any suitable construction, but is preferably made of sheet metal. The vertical front and rear wall plates of the case are provided at their upper ends with out-turned flanges 25 which rest upon the supporting shoulders 23 and may be secured thereto by screws or otherwise. At its narrow ends, the file case, as shown, has vertical extension plates 26 weldedto the outside of the case end plates near their upper edges. These plates 26 extend upwardly to the table top and have out-turned, upper end flanges 21 which are attached, as by spot weld' ing, to the underside of the top plate M at the end edges of the opening [2 in the top. The edges of the linoleum or top cover sheet at the opening l2 are preferably bound and protected by vertical binding strips 28 which may be fas tened to the upper portions of the supporting plates 20 and the extension end plates 25, with the upper edges of the strips engaging the edges of the cover sheet substantially flush with the top surface of the cover sheet. By thus constructing and mounting the file case in the table, it is strongly and firmly supported and-the table top and edges of the opening [2 are prevented from sagging orbeing deformed by the weight of the file case and its contents.

The lid or cover shown for the opening l2 over the upper end of the file case is formed by a rectangular sheet metal plate 30 provided with downturnedmarginal stiffening flanges 3i, and this lid plate is covered by a linoleum or other cover sheet like that on the table top. Preferably, the edges of the lid cover sheet are protected by binding strips 32 secured to the marginal flanges of the lid and engaging the edges of the cover sheet substantially flush with the top surface thereof. In its closed position, this lid is located within and forms a closure for the opening l2 in the table top, with the upper surface'of the lid flush with the upper surface of the table top, and the lid is preferably hinged at its long, rear edge to the table top by a piano hinge 33. Thus, when the lid is closed, it forms a portion of the table top flush with the upper surface of the other portions thereof, and it may be swung upwardly and rearwardly and provided at one or each of its ends with a supporting arm '34 of any usual or suitable type adapted to support the lid in an upwardly and rearwardly inclined, open position, as indicated in Fig. 5.

The file case is preferably equipped with vertical pocket holders or supports 35 which provide separated compartments to receive vertical, removable folders or pockets 36 in which the photographs or other sheets are placed. The pocket holders may be constructed and mounted to move horizontally toward and from each other in the case in any suitable manner adapted to form expansible compartments for receiving the removable file pockets or folders, but preferably the opposite sides of each pocket holder or compartment are formed by flexible vertical strips 3'! which are suspended from their ends and.

connected by bottom loops. Suitable springs 38 arranged between the strips of adjacent holders urge the strips of each pocket holder toward each other to yieldingly press the filed sheets in the pockets together so as to hold the sheets flat and prevent them from sagging, crumpling or 'wrinkling in the file. As shown, the pocket holder strips 31 are suspended from horizontal rods 39 which extend lengthwise in the file case and project at their ends into horizontal guides 40 formed by the upper edges of the end walls of the file case, and cooperating guide strips 41 attached to the end extension plates 26 above the rods. The rods are thus horizontally supported so as to be movable freely toward and from each other in their guides for the expansion and contraction of the pocket holders or supports.

When it is desired to refer to or examine a photograph or sheet in the file, the hinged lid or cover is swung upwardly and rearwardly and the pocket or folder containing the desired sheet is adapted to be pulled upwardly more or less completely out of its holder in the file case, and the desired photo or sheet laid over on the table top in front of the open lid or cover, as indicated in Fig. 1, or when desired, one or more of the photos and sheets can be removed from its or their pockets and spread out flat on the table after again closing the hinged lid or cover.

We claim as our invention:

l. A filing device comprising in combination a table having a top with an opening therethrough and fixed frame skirt plates extending from side to side below the top at the ends of the table, spaced supporting plates rigidly attached at their ends to said skirt plates and extending horizontally across the table beneath and supporting opposite side edges of said top opening, said supporting plates being vertically deep and forming strong rigid weight-supporting members and having offset shoulders at their inner sides, a file case arranged with its open upper end between said supporting plates and suspended therefrom by flanges at opposite sides of the case seated on said shoulders, and a cover movable to open and close said top opening.

2. A filing device according to claim 1, in

I which the file case has plates at its opposite ends which extend upwardly beyond the tops of the sides of the case and are secured to the underside of the table top at the end edges of the top opening.

3. A filing device according to claim 1, in which vertical extension plates at opposite ends of the file case extend up to and are secured to the edges of the table top at the opposite ends of the top opening, and have guide members adjacent the top of the file case for guiding movable file-supporting elements in the case.

4. The combination of atable comprising a metal top plate having an opening therethrough and fixed skirt plates extending horizontally beneath and attached to the top plate at opposite end portions of the table, spaced vertical supporting plates rigidly attached at their ends to said skirt plates and extending horizontally across the table beneath opposite side edges of said opening and having outwardly projecting top flanges on which said edges of the top opening are supported and secured, said supporting plates being vertically deep and forming strong rigid weight-supporting members and having inwardly offset shoulders, a file case arranged with its open upper end between said supporting plates and suspended therefrom by side flanges at the upper end of the case seated and secured on said shoulders, and a cover for opening and closing said case arranged to occupy a closed position in said top opening between said supporting plates above the shoulders thereof.

5. A filing device comprising in combination a table having supporting legs connected by a rigid horizontal top frame, and a top supported table top and forming vertically stiff weightsupporting members, and a vertically deep file case arranged with its open upper end between said supporting members and suspended from and wholly supported by said supporting 'mem-' here, said top having an opening therethrough over said file case, the edges'of the table top forming the opposite side edges of said opening being attached to and supported by said supporting members, and a cover movable to open 5 and close said top opening.v

JAMES R. JONES. CARL L. ELOFSON. 

